Quick Hits

posted by Jay -
Jan 8, 2018

The Life Time Fitness chain, which has 128 locations, just announced they are banning 24-hour cable news networks from TVs in all of their gyms. They say the ban is due to their "consistently negative or politically charged content" which doesn’t match their "healthy way of life philosophy." While some members support the ban, others are upset and are calling it censorship.

A debate is raging on the Internet forum Mumset, after one person wrote on the site they were surprised the practice of asking a father’s permission to propose to their daughter was still a thing. Some folks called it “sexist,” and implied that a woman was “a possession of their parents.” Others called it a “harmless courtesy,” and a “sign of respect” for their family.

Going out for a delicious meal can be a wonderful experience. But getting the bill and finding out it’s way more than you were expecting? Not so much. Restaurants are a business, so they’re trying to make as much of a profit off you as they can, but here are a few ways you can spend less money when you eat out.

Pay attention to special deals - Most restaurants are offering some kind of a deal, from two-for-one drinks during happy hour to 25-cent wings on Mondays. Check the restaurant’s website before you go and ask the bartender if there are any drink specials before you order.

Buy gift cards online- Check out comfor discounts on gift cards to restaurants across the country. And sites like Groupon offer daily deals that include gift cards, so do your Internet research before you go out to eat.

Don’t forget about Early Bird specials - If you don’t mind eating dinner before dark, look for early bird specials and happy hour deals to help you save.

Drink water- Between cocktails, wine, sodas, and sparkling water, the beverages at your meal really add a lot to your bill. So skip all the extra cost and just drink water instead.

Skip appetizers and dessert - This saves you money and helps you avoid eating too much.

Eat an appetizer as your main course- Restaurant portions are notoriously oversized, so pick an app to eat as your entree and you won’t be as stuffed. Or split a main course with someone instead.

Ask the price of the specials - When the server describes the special, they don’t always include the price. That’s because those dishes are often more expensive, so be sure to inquire about the cost before you order.

Buy that big coupon book- You can get the Entertainment Bookfor practically every part of the country, and it’s full of good deals on dining.

Use social media - Follow your favorite restaurants on Twitter and like them on Facebook so you don’t miss out on special offers they make to fans.

Beware of “Market Price”- If you’re trying to save on your dinner bill, don’t even think about ordering a menu item with “Market Price” listed instead of a dollar amount. It’s usually reserved for pricey items like lobster or oysters with prices that change daily or weekly based on availability, and it’s almost always really expensive.

While some employers, like the White House, have banned personal cell phone use while at work, plenty of folks are still using theirs at the office. A 2016 CareerBuilder surveyshows cell phone usage and texting was the number one productivity killer at work and a recentsurvey by staffing firm Office Team finds professionals admit to wasting an average of 56 minutes a day on their personal phones. That adds up to a lot of time we let our phones distract us from work and that doesn’t make the higher ups at the company too happy.

So here are some guidelines for using your cell phone at work without upsetting your boss and still being productive, according to career coachSusan Ginsberg O’Sullivan.

Don’t use your cell in front of your manager during a meeting unless you first disclose that you’re waiting on an urgent call, like about your sick kid.

If that call comes during the meeting, slip out to take the call and don’t disrupt the meeting.

Even when you’re with coworkers you’re friendly with at work, be cautious about taking out your phone to text, check messages, or get in a quick game of Words with Friends.

Keep conversations quick - Sometimes you need to squeeze in a 40-second call or a brief text and it won’t derail your workday. But if you need to have a prolonged conversation, minimize the distraction to colleagues by walking to a quiet conference room or anywhere else where you won’t disturb them.

Resist the urge to reply immediately - When loved ones repeatedly call or text during the workday, try to fight the urge to respond right away. Others will learn to respect your workday boundaries when they figure out you can’t always take calls or return messages during those times.

Be courteous - To anyone standing in front of you who expects your attention, put down your device and make them your top priority.

In fashion, if you wait long enough, everything comes back in style at some point. And it seems that’s what has happened with the ‘90s hair accessory everyone used - the scrunchie. But like a lot of other things, the scrunchie has been rebranded to make its comeback even cooler.

Meet the “hair cloud” - it’s like a scrunchie, but rebranded and more expensive. According to WWD, the ponytail staple of the ‘90s is turning up on runway shows of high-end designers, but it now goes by the name “hair cloud,” thanks to a Danish designer.

Line Sander Johansenis a hair cloud designer and she says she came up with the new name because her fluffy styles look like “silk clouds around the hair.” And she says she prefers the new name because it gives off a chic image. Well, yeah, anything’s better than the overly-hairsprayed big hair flashbacks we get when we think of scrunchies.

Johansen’s label, Comfort Objects, sells the fancy scrunchies for $112 each, but these are made of recycled silk Hermes scarves and such, so they’re more luxe than the ones we bought at Walgreens. Call them what you want, they’ll always be scrunchies to us.